BWW Interview: The Texas Tenors Talk Their 10th Tour & Top Times

BroadwayWorld.com – As part of their TENTH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, the multi-lauded The Texas Tenors will perform a one-nighter at Feinstein’s at Vitello’s June 28, 2019. From their illustrious debut on America’s Got Talent in 2009; JC Fisher, Marcus Collins and John Hagen have won three Emmys for their first PBS special, released chart-topping albums, and sang in over 1,300 concerts worldwide.

I seized the opportunity to quiz these talented songsters during the week of their Feinstein’s at Vitello’s gig.

Thank you All for taking the time for this interview!

Your TENTH ANNIVERSARY TOUR will be landing at Feinstein’s at Vitello’s this Friday. What songs can the Feinstein’s at Vitello’s audiences expect to hear?Marcus Collins:
We will be performing some brand new music no one’s ever heard before.
We can’t wait for everyone to hear these new songs. We will also be
singing with a surprise Tony Award-winning guest. It’s going to be a
special evening.The Texas Tenors have had quite a ride in the ten years since you appeared on America’s Got Talent. What originally brought you three together?

JC Fisher:
Marcus and I met working on cruise ships 20 years ago. John and I met
working construction. We all trained classically in college, and love
all genres of music. My wife and I watched America’s Got Talent
with our kids. I thought, “I’ve got a couple buddies. We should put a
trio together and audition.” We did, and we’ve never looked back.You cover all genres of music. What criteria do you look for in a song to be included in your repertoire?JC: We always say great music is great no matter the genre.Your first PBS special in 2013 You Should Dream won three Emmy Awards. What were your reactions to your nominations?MC:
We were ecstatic! The Emmy Award represents excellence in television,
and this has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. Having produced the
show ourselves, it was a huge honor to be recognized in that way. Five
nominations – entertainment special, lighting, sound, arrangements and
direction. WOW!

And then your reactions to winning?

MC:
It was such an honor to be nominated, we thought. Heck! To even be
there was HUGE! Then they called our name, not once but three times!
Such a surreal experience, and something we will never forget!

You
have performed concerts in countries all over the world. Can you
describe the differences in audience responses between country to
country? (more boisterous? more reserved? more standing O’s?)

John Hagen:
Our experience has been that most people respond to good music in the
same manner. Audiences in China, Wales, Scotland, England, etc. pretty
much respond just like they do here, with much enthusiasm.

You’ve
played in venues seating thousands. Is Upstairs at Vitello’s 120-seat
capacity one of the more intimate places you played recently?

JH:
Most definitely, and we can hardly wait to do it! We’ve had a few
situations where we’ve played in a room seating 200-250 – almost like
being is someone’s living room! It’s very satisfying to connect with
people in a venue where you can see their faces!

You’ve
been together successfully for ten years now. What is the secret to
your working relationship all these years? (good negotiating? allowing
one to take the lead? each one picks songs from their own genre?)

JH:
I’m the Boss!!! Just kidding! Actually we get along remarkably well for
three strong personalities that are used to leading. We respect each
others’ opinions and expertise in specific areas. It just kind of works!
When we have a disagreement, we try to get everyone on the same page.
If push comes to shove, majority rules! In the end, we all have the same
goal. We enjoy singing music from all genre’s.

You wear very sharp outfits on stage. Who do you credit your style to? One stylist? Or a combo?

MC:
We all decide together what we are going to wear. It’s definitely a
group decision. We don’t all agree on every jacket or pair of pants, but
as long as everyone is comfortable and we can put on a great show;
that’s what matters. We started our wearing Wranglers and a lot of
western wear ten years ago. Now a days, you’ll see quite a bit of John Varvatos, INC, Armani. But we’ve kept the jeans, boots and belt buckles to still bring our country roots into the style.

How many musicians travel with you?

MC:
we travel with a great group of guys – “The Three Bottle Band,” four
players who’ve been with us for quite some time. It’s so important that
you have talented musicians. But beyond that, you want to work with
people you get along with and trust. We are a family now. We love these
guys. Larry Hanson, Ryan Hurn, Mitch Keirsey and Josh Hanlon. They’re
the best of the best in the business!! We are in the process of adding a
page for them on our website thetexastenors.com

What kind of pre-show rituals do you religiously exercise?

JC:
We always spin around three times, clap four times and ring a bell
before each show. Sometimes we can’t find the bell and get a bit dizzy.
Hahahah! No, we each have a routine. I always say a little prayer, and
think of my family. That always puts me in the best frame of mind.

What road bumps that you’ve overcome would you advise young budding singers to avoid in starting their careers?

JH:
There is no short cut to success. You’ve got to put in the time! When
you’re starting out, you should take advantage of as many opportunities
as you can. You never know where things will lead. Stay true to yourself
and your gut intuition. We have been fortunate to have not misstepped
many times. But the times we did, our gut feeling always told us
something wasn’t right.

JH:
After we leave California, we head to Boston and join the legendary
Boston Pops for America’s biggest Independence Day celebration on July
3rd and 4th. We are honored to be part of the event along with Queen Latifah, Arlo Guthrie and more.

MC: I think a techno record is in our future with whale sounds maybe? LOL! The Texas Tenors
will still be touring and trying to uplift and inspire people. We love
what we do, and hope it lasts forever. As long as people keep coming to
show and buying records, we will continue. We love it!